Benjamin (Ben) Gaudet helps organizations answer a critical question: How do fire and explosion risks behave in real world conditions — and what evidence do you need to make sound safety decisions?
There is no single, universally correct response to that question. The right approach depends on the technology, the environment and the decisions at stake. The first step is “always to ask questions. Lots of them,” said Ben. He works with customers to clarify objectives, then designs custom tests and analysis programs aligned to real world conditions. His work combines experimental research and testing, engineering analysis, simulation, and standards development to close critical knowledge gaps.
In a rapidly changing risk landscape, Ben and the applied R&D team have a consistent goal: producing technically rigorous, decision‑ready data that manufacturers, regulators, insurers, and engineers can trust.
Advancing lithium‑ion battery safety
A primary focus of Ben's work is understanding and mitigating fire and explosion hazards associated with lithium‑ion batteries across energy storage, e‑mobility, and consumer product applications. His research addresses thermal runaway behavior, thermal runaway gas flammability, deflagration hazards, and fire suppression performance, with testing that spans bench‑scale experiments through full-scale system configurations.
He has served as a primary or contributing developer for several UL test methods and standards, including critical battery safety documents such as UL 9540A, UL 1487 and UL 2596. His contributions include designing and validating new test methods and test apparatus, expanding measurement capabilities, and developing the required laboratory infrastructure. He has also been a leader in developing test methods and validated simulation approaches for evaluating battery energy storage system explosion hazards.
Evolving fire protection best practices
Ben has led large‑scale fire testing programs, including UL Solutions' first warehouse rack storage fire tests involving lithium‑ion batteries protected by sprinkler systems. Results from these programs have informed fire protection engineering practice and contributed to peer‑reviewed publications, conference proceedings, and technical guidance used by industry, insurers and regulators.
He collaborates extensively with the Fire Safety Research Institute and external partners on residential and commercial hazard studies. Through consensus technical committees and task groups, including those associated with NFPA 855, he helps translate experimental findings into test methods and requirements grounded in reproducible data.
“There are new technologies or new ideas that are always coming to market and trying to grow fast. There are also plenty of older technologies that have been and are continuing to hit their stride and permeate through society for years at a time,” Ben said.
“All of these technologies and the companies who drive them have an ideal they are trying to meet (cleaner energy, easier transport, connecting people together) and a number they are trying to meet (shareholder value, revenue, bottom lines). My job – and UL Solutions’ job – is to make sure that both objectives are met with the safety of everyday people in mind.”
Grounded by hands-on experience
Ben's engineering perspective is rooted in hands‑on laboratory and fabrication work, complemented by formal training in mechanical engineering and fire protection engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Before focusing on his leadership role at UL Solutions, his work included building and installing test apparatus and executing experiment programs in the lab. Early in his career, he also worked as a researcher and laboratory technician in WPI's fire laboratory and held machining and fabrication roles. This experience continues to shape his emphasis on practical, defensible and meaningful engineering outputs, both in experiments and in the modeling and simulation space.
“We make sure that safety is front of mind and that hazards are well understood by stakeholders. By doing this, we help customers garner public trust in their products and technologies.” - Ben Gaudet
Honors and awards
Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff in the William Henry Merrill Society (2026), recognizing sustained technical contributions to UL's safety mission.
UL Mark of Excellence, 2023
Connect with Benjamin Gaudet
Publications
- Gaudet, B; Barowy, A; Schraiber, A; Shurtz, R. (2025). Methods and recommendati…
- Gaudet, B. (2024). An Analysis of Standard Temperature Rise Criteria for Igniti…
- Sauer, N. G., Gaudet, B., & Barowy, A. (2024). Experimental investigation of ex…
- Fleischmann, C., Weinschenk, C., Madrzykowski, D., Schraiber, A., & Gaudet, B. …
- Schraiber, A; Barowy, A; Gaudet, B; Kimmerly, V. (2023). Considerations for Fir…